Snake Heating & Lighting

Snakes do not create their own body heat, so they need a heat lamp. In their natural habitats, snakes often bask in the sun to warm themselves. In captivity, snakes rely on their pet parents to provide a heat source. You must provide a heat source for your pet snake, either in the form of a snake heat light or a heating pad beneath your snake’s enclosure.  

Interested in learning more about popular pet snakes? Take a look at our Corn Snake Care Sheet, Python Care Sheet and Rosy Boa Care Sheet.  

If the temperature in your home doesn’t get too cold, you might not need to leave your snake’s heat lamp on all night. If you need to leave heat lamp on at night, ideally, you’ll want to use a nocturnal heat light. Nocturnal lights shine a red or purple light in the tank and simulate a day and night light cycle for your snake. It’s not a good idea to leave a bright day heat light on all night in your snake’s habitat. Constant bright light can cause stress to your snake and even interfere with its appetite.  

You can find some of the best heat lamps for snakes at Petco.  

You’ll need to provide heat for your pet snake through a heat pad or heat lamps. Heat lights for a snake habitat are typically less expensive than heat mats and they give you more control of the temperature in the terrarium.  

Some pet parents prefer using a heat mat for their snake’s habitat. These mats can provide gentle heat all day long, and they typically last longer than bulbs. By adding a thermostat to a tank with a heating pad, pet parents can monitor the temperature in their pet’s enclosure. However, if you choose a heat mat, you will need to purchase a heat lamp for your snake separately. Using a day light and a nocturnal light allows you to better mimic the natural light cycle in your pet’s habitat. 

It might be worth experimenting with both LED lights for snakes and a heating pad to see which option works best for you and your pet.